Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/718

608 608 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

Mr. and Mrs. Winkle being fully received into favour by the old gentleman, were shortly afterwards installed in a newly built house, not half a mile from Mr. Pickwick's. Mr. Winkle being engaged in the city as agent or town correspondent of his father, exchanged his old costume for the ordinary dress of Englishmen, and presented all the external appearance of a civilised christian ever afterwards.

Mr. and Mrs. Snodgrass settled at Dingley Dell, where they pur- chased and cultivated a small farm, more for occupation than profit. Mr. Snodgrass, being occasionally abstracted and melancholy, is to this day reputed a great poet among his friends and acquaintance, although we do not find that he has ever written anything to encourage the belief. We know many celebrated characters, literary, philosophical, and otherwise, who hold a high reputation on a similar tenure.

Mr. Tupman, when his friends married and Mr. Pickwick settled, took lodgings at Richmond, where he has ever since resided. He walks constantly on the Terrace during the summer months, with a youthful and janty air, which has rendered him the admiration of the numerous elderly ladies of single condition, who reside in the vicinity. He has never proposed again.

Mr. Bob Sawyer, having previously passed through the Gazette, passed over to Bengal, accompanied by Mr. Benjamin Allen, both gentlemen having received surgical appointments from the East India Company. They each had the yellow fever fourteen times, and then resolved to try a little abstinence, since which period they have been doing well.

Mrs. Bardell let lodgings to many conversable single gentlemen with great profit, but never brought any more actions for a breach of promise of marriage. Her attorneys, Messrs. Dodson and Fogg, con- tinue in business, from which they realise a large income, and in which they are universally considered among the sharpest of the sharp.

Sam Weller kept his word^ and remained unmarried for two years. The old housekeeper dying at the end of that time, Mr. Pickwick pro- moted Mary to the situation, on condition of her marrying Mr. Weller at once, which she did without a murmur. From the circumstance of two sturdy little boys having been repeatedly seen at the gate of the back garden, we have reason to suppose that Sam has some family.

The elder Mr. Weller drove a coach for twelve months, but being afflicted with the gout, was compelled to retire. The contents of the pocket-book had been so well invested for him, however, by IMr. Pick- wick, that he had a handsome independence to retire on, upon which he still lives at an excellent public-house near Shooter's Hill, where he is quite reverenced as an oracle, boasting very much of his intimacy with Mr. Pickwick; and retaining a most unconquerable aversion ta widows.

Mr. Pickwick himself continued to reside in his new house, employing- his leisure hours in arranging the memoranda which he afterwards pre- sented to the secretary of the once famous club, or in hearing Sam Weller read aloud, with such remarks as suggested themselves to his mind, which never failed to afford Mr. Pickwick great amusement. He was much troubled at first by the numerous applications which were made to him

i